Palestinian Leader to Address UN Amid Renewed Peace Efforts

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas is set to address the United Nations virtually on Thursday, as the United States considers whether to intervene to halt Israeli annexation of the West Bank, despite its longstanding opposition to him.

The 89-year-old veteran leader will speak to the UN General Assembly just three days after France convened a special summit, during which a number of Western nations formally recognised a Palestinian state.

The Trump administration has steadfastly rejected Palestinian statehood. In an unusual move, it barred Abbas and his senior aides from travelling to New York for the annual assembly of global leaders.

Nonetheless, the General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to permit Abbas to address the UN via video message, ensuring his voice is heard on the international stage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly stated that he will not permit a Palestinian state. Far-right members of his cabinet have even threatened West Bank annexation in an effort to prevent any genuine independence.

French President Emmanuel Macron, despite disagreements with Trump on statehood, confirmed that the US leader shared opposition to annexation. He told France 24 and Radio France Internationale: “What President Trump told me yesterday was that the Europeans and Americans have the same position.”

Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff, a friend of Trump and roving negotiator, reported that the US presented a 21-point plan for ending the war to Arab and Islamic leaders. Speaking at the Concordia summit, he said: “I think it addresses Israeli concerns as well as the concerns of all the neighbours in the region. We’re hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough.”

Macron indicated that the US proposal includes core elements of a French plan, such as the disarmament of Hamas and deployment of an international stabilisation force.

A French position paper, seen by AFP, recommends the gradual transfer of security control in Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority, contingent upon a ceasefire.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who also participated in talks with Trump, confirmed that Indonesia is ready to offer at least 20,000 troops to support stability in the region.

Abbas’s Palestinian Authority (PA) currently exercises limited control over portions of the West Bank, under agreements established through the Oslo Peace Accords of 1993.

His party, Fatah, is a rival of Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu’s government has at times sought to conflate the two factions.

In a Monday address, Abbas condemned the massive October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel and called for Hamas to disarm under the Palestinian Authority’s control.

European powers, including France, have argued that the PA requires substantial reforms but have not supported attempts by Israel or the US to delegitimise it.

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Abbas’s speech comes at a critical juncture in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as diplomatic efforts gather momentum and the international community weighs interventions to avert further escalation.